


Pause Before You Take A Bow

by talkingtothesky



Category: Life on Mars (UK)
Genre: Episode Related, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-08-14
Updated: 2011-08-14
Packaged: 2017-12-12 03:26:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/806644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/talkingtothesky/pseuds/talkingtothesky
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She looks at him with a mix of sympathy and wonder, as though she's surprised he still exists.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pause Before You Take A Bow

**Author's Note:**

> Set after 2x08, with spoilers for the ending.

The sun shines. She folds her arms around the coat she’s carrying, looks at him with a mix of sympathy and wonder, as though she’s surprised he still exists. Sam’s beginning to wonder at that, too.

 

Somewhere at the back of his mind there’s a voice, calling, and the momentum of a fall. Just echoes, faded imprints of a life that never was at all. How long will it take him to forget completely?

 

“I don’t want to believe you did that,” Annie says, at last.

 

“I couldn’t leave you.” He sighs. “I should have known, really.” He touches her arm instinctively, needing her to ground him just like she always has.

 

Suddenly there are tears in her eyes and Sam feels a flash of guilt – he shouldn’t have told her.

 

“I never wanted you to die for us.” Her eyes might be swimming but her voice is perfectly steady. Sam feels a rush of affection towards her, clearer and brighter than the gentle balm of comfort he constantly receives from her presence.

 

“It wasn’t dying, Annie. It was coming alive.”

 

“It…it didn’t hurt?”

 

“No.”

 

“I don’t know whether it makes it worse that I believe everything you say.”

 

He allows himself to smile. “It helps me that you do.”

 

“Oh, Sam.” She breathes, and then seems to run out of words.

 

They walk on, slowly.

 

Slow, slow, slow, that’s always been them, inching towards each other, inexorably drawn but unwilling to push too hard in case this thing between them strains and snaps.

 

A dog barks somewhere in the distance as they continue their afternoon stroll. In the gardens they pass by there are children laughing, lawns being mowed, cats lounging on their backs in the sun. Weeds sprawl out of cracks in concrete, lines of washing sway in the breeze. 

 

At half past four Sam checks his watch. “We should be getting back,” reluctant but guilty.

 

Annie’s eyes have lost their tears, there’s a hint of mischief in them now. “Oh, they can manage without us for one day.” She reaches out and tugs at his hand. “Come on, home.”

 

“Yours or mine?” Sam gulps, worries at the state he left his flat in earlier.

 

She considers for a moment. “Ours.”

 

His eyes widen. Whatever happened to slow? But it’s not a bad thing, moving on. He’s starting to learn that, gradually. 

 

“Alright, then.” Sam grins, sweeps her up into a hug. “Home.”


End file.
